Animal Names for Girls

A lucky word name that started to rise out of obscurity in the 2010s. Like Dream and True, Charm could be just one celebrity baby away from becoming a big trend.

Soft and delicate French name rarely heard here.

A unique option for a November baby (the November birth flower is a chrysanthemum) or to honor an ancestral Chris, Chrysanthe feels more wearable than the full Chrysanthemum, despite the storybook mouse.

Greek nature goddess name that has a pleasing femininity. Damia is one of the more unusual goddess names newly fashionable for contemporary baby girls.

The invented Daleyza was the fastest-rising girls' name in the US in 2013, thanks to the adorable young daughter of Larry Hernandez, star of Larrymania. If you've been out of the world of baby names for a while, you may be surprised to learn that Daleyza is now one of the most popular girl names starting with D.

Pronounced as-TAIR-ah, this is one of many frequently heard Israeli flower names. Other floral choices popular in Israel include Dafna, which means laurel; Dailia; Irit, which means daffodil; and Vered, which means rose.

Spelled Alastríona in its native language, this Irish cousin of Alexandra is little-known but fairly intuitive.

Feminine of Aidan, but now girls would prefer to use the original.

The name of the mother of Aethelred the Unready was once common among the Anglo-Saxon nobility, and was briefly revived during the 19th century, only to be lost once again to history.

Rare but attractive female form of Basil.

Asya has dual origins: it is both the Turkish word for Asia (the continent), and a short form of Anastasia in Russian and Bulgarian. Beyond that, it is a beautiful example of a "travelling light" name, in the style of Aria: short, elegant, and usable across different cultures.

The Spanish version, with its -eena ending, takes the name out of the Oh My Darlin' realm, which for many American parents may be just the thing.

This charming Turkish name has hit pop culture, thanks to the Telenovela show of the same name.

This name is the feminine of Chrystanthos, meaning golden flower (think Chrysanthemum).

Pronounced klo-TEELD, this name is well used in France, but rarely heard here; it has a chic and sophisticated air.

This fanciful Irish extension of Bridget is known here through the wacky Amelia Bedelia books for kids -- an association your child may or may not like.

Bonnie meets Annabel (or Belle, or any other name ending in this sound) in this jaunty modern compound.